Poca- Raymond City Story Compiled By Ivan N. Hunter The Poca- Raymond City Story is a big story and one that would take years to recall and write in every detail...it is as big because that story covers a period in Putnam County history that lives today only in the memories of the oldest living residents. It is a story that goes back as far as the last savage Indian and covers the pioneer families.It reveals the color and excitement of the boom days when the loggers moved up the river and floated down on rafts, a story of the Civil War and the opening of the Raymond City Mines,and the people who took part in those stirring times. This history can only be as accurate as the memory of the people who took part in its making . The actual written history of the area is scanty and for background information, we have drawn heavily upon the only history history of Putnam County and Pocatalico District that we have been able to find. Hardestey's"History of Putnam County"published in 1883. Poca of course, gets its name from the Pocatalico River-and how that river got its name is a legandary story that goes back to the bloodiest battle ever fought between the white and red man, the Battle of Point Pleasent,often called the opening skirmish of the American Revolution. Chief Pocatalico An Idian chief named Pocatalico, the legend goes seeking to escape the avenging whites fled up the Kanawha on horse-back ,and on foot after his horse was winded. The chase reached a climax near the bluffs over looking the present site of Raymond City where to evade the nearing soldiers,Pocatalico leaped down over the rocks. These rocks may be seen while driving through the present town of Poca at a point to thr right of a line made by the highway,Pocatalico was mortality injured by his daring leap and was buried by his pursuers across the river about a mile up stream. Two cedar trees that were said to have been planted to mark the spot may still be seen from the river road at Raymond City . While this story is taken for gospel by many people some students of the Indian people have cast doubt on its truth. These scholars give the myth a telling blow with the statement that the word Poctalico is a Wyandotte Indian term (Johnsons Glossary of Indian Terms) meaning "Land of the Plenty Fat Doe (deer)", and hardly a fit name for an Indian chief. Seeking Proof In a effort to verify or disprove the legend Jerome Collins of Nitro, A member of the West Virginia Archeological Society,sought permission to dig at the site of the grave but was denied permission by the owners of the land. Collins also told us that the Kanawha got its name from the Huron tounge its meaning in the language,"River of Eviel Spirits" due , no doubt,to the belief that the numerous shoals which wrecked the indian canoes were caused by evil spirits. So much for the Indian. he pulled up his stakes and headed westward, never to be seen again,after Wayne'sTreaty with the Indian Nations in 1795. The next men on the Poca scene were undoubtly the fur hunters who travled the Kanawha. The first settlers used thier homesite at the mouth of the Poca River as a point to collect and ship the furs to posts down river to Ohio . Daniel Boone that most famous of scouts, while living at Point Pleasent in 1791 may well "killed one bar" on the Poca water shed on one of his frequent trips up the kanawha from the point. Mad Ann It is a historical fact that "Mad Ann" Bailey, riding her horse "Liverpool,"passed this area on her way downstream to Point pleasent, and it is hard to be that this colorful pioneer woman did not pause long enough to draw a bead on one of many fat does . This singular woman spent much time hunting and fishing and was welcomed in every home the length of the valley. Her husband was killed in the battle of point Pleasant and that is what is supposed to have set her off her rocker...so the name "Mad Ann". First White Man To Poca At one time the Poca River was in Orange County Virginia, still later, Augusta County then Greenbrier-later Kanawha,and finally Putnam,when on March 11,1848,the General Assembly of Virginia passed a bill entitled "An Act to Authorize the Formation of a new county from portions of Kanawha, Mason ,and Cabell Counties." Now lets see how the first white man got to poca and made him stay after he did. Govenor Spottswood of Virginia wanted to see just what his bailwick consisted of,so he organized a group of horseman and set out for the westeren confines of virginia.His party in 1710 got as far as the Allegheny mountains on what is now the West Virginia border and upon returning to the capitol proved to be pretty good pressagents for the wild country...because several families shoved off at once and made their way to to what is now Greenbrier County This was only 218 years after Christopher Columbus dropped anchor off San Salvador and proclaimed the new world,including Putnam County to be good real estate belonging to the good Queen Isabella. Anyway the people in Greenbrier soon got itching feet and blazing a trail came to the head waters of our Kanawha. From this point it was a simple matter to build rafts and float down through the valley to the Ohio. Not as simple as it sounds either, because these pioneers rivermen had to dodge arrows from the natives along the banks who didn't like the idea of pale face hunting on their property without a hunting license. John Dudding After this it was just a matter of time until a man by the name of John Dudding decided to clear a patch of land and in so doing go down in Putnam history as the first perment settler in the Pocatalico district. His home was on the Kanawha River near Johnson Shoals and E.E. "Bert" Higginbotham, our expert on river navigation,says this would place John Dudding's home on the grounds Of the former American Viscoe Plant in the Putnam County half of the city of Nitro. Soon after Dudding stopped off, a man by the name of Benedict Lanaham settled at the mouth of Poca River.Other early settlers included the Harmons,sacketts,Carruthers,Asburys,Dixons,Nulls, Meltons and Hensleys. William Hensley built the first mill in Poca district, a water mill eight miles from the mouth of Poca River in the year 1820. However small this represents the first industry in a district that one day was to see the huge works of the American Viscoes, Monsanto Apex offer employment to the Chemical Company ,and Ohio -great -great-great grandsons of these pioneer families. Another early mill was built for Mr. Lanham by a Mr. Hyein in the year 1844. This was located seven miles up poca. Miss Dora Burham, A member of an old Poca Family, about which we will write more later, tells this writer what the first settlers in Poca itself were Alexander Shingleton and Jessie Walton . The first school in the district was located near the present site of Raymond City and one mile southeast of the mouth of Poca River. It was erected about 1827 of logs, and in later years was known as the "Muddy Gut School". One end of this one room cabin was taken up by a huge fireplace and light was obtained by inserting pieces of glass in the chinks of the logs. This writer could not find no record of the first teachers or the names of the students, but it is easy to guess that the students were the children of the first settlers.The School term lasted two months, a fact that should interest present students of Poca Schools .